Milestones V
by DrawnToDarkness
Summary: The next chapter in the lives of Captain and Mrs Becker.
1. Beach

Title: Milestones V  
Author: DrawnToDarkness  
Rating: T overall  
Pairings: Jess/Becker primarily, Connor/Abby & Matt/Emily background  
Spoilers: General knowledge of S1 – 5.  
Summary: Another milestone in the lives of Captain & Mrs Becker. Set about a month or so after Milestones IV.  
Disclaimer: They're still not mine! Sadly. :( I promise I'd make them happy if they were!

Chapter prompt: Beach  
Chapter rating: K+

* * *

Blazing hot sun, just the right side of too hot, combined with a refreshing breeze coming in off the sea made for the perfect weather conditions for a picnic.

If only it was a picnic they were there to have.

What brought them to the beach was nothing quite so nice; an anomaly alert coupled with the frantic distress call of a woman whose husband had gone missing was not the ideal start to what had promised to be a lovely day off.

A rare day off.

One of the last they'd planned to spend together before letting the rest of the team in on their secret.

A secret everyone would soon know.

Jess Becker bit back a sigh and instead gave her husband a sunny smile.

Her worried husband merely scowled back.

"I'll stay in the car if you'd like," she offered, quite generously in her opinion.

Becker's scowl only deepened. "We don't know what this thing is, Jessica. And until we do, I'm not letting you out of my sight."

The over-protectiveness was not entirely new, really, but the way his gaze dropped meaningfully to her still perfectly flat stomach was.

And it gave the game away, too.

Abby Maitland-Temple, who'd been standing as witness to the couple's silent and not so silent argument, arched both of her eyebrows as she first followed Becker's gaze before looking up at Jess's face. A beaming smile broke out across the blond woman's face for a few seconds before a look of solemn concern took its place.

That was new, too, Jess thought with a sigh she couldn't hold back. Abby had become just as protective of her since the events of the ARC's near takeover - and that was something that would only get worse over the coming months, the Field Co-ordinator was certain.

"You're pregnant?" Abby asked in a hushed whisper. "You shouldn't be here, Jess. It's too dangerous."

When Becker only continued to scowl, Jess rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in exasperation. "Believe it or not, I wasn't planning on being at an anomaly site, today or any other day."

That was true; they hadn't. Their plans had included a nice drive along the coast, with a stop for lunch in a nearby pub followed by an equally nice - and not at all strenuous if her husband had any say in it, since he had apparently decided his wife was too delicate for any sort of physical activity outside of breathing - walk along the beach.

They hadn't counted on an anomaly alert so close by, though in hindsight maybe they should've done. There'd been anomalies both the night Becker had planned to propose and the night before their wedding; it stood to reason there would be one the day before they planned to share the news with their teammates that they were expecting.

"I'll stay out of the way," Jess said, not for the first time.

And not for the first time, she was ignored.

"You should go. Take her home." Abby looked at Becker instead of the woman who'd spoken. "We can manage here."

"You can't say that when you don't know what we're dealing with." Obviously torn between his sense of obligation to his job and his responsibility as Jess's husband and father-to-be of her child, Becker glared and ran his hand through his already dishevelled hair. "Who's available to take her back to the ARC?"

"I am still here, you know," Jess began.

"That's the problem," her husband muttered.

Other than pausing to give him a cool glare, Jess ignored the interruption. "If you want me to leave so badly, just give me the car keys and I'll drive myself home."

"Alone?" The two people standing next to her spoke in unison.

"I'm a big girl; I'm sure I can find the way."

Her sarcastic tone was lost on them. As they went back to discussing her as though she wasn't there, Jess noticed the rest of the team approach. Crossing her arms over her chest, she stood back and let the conversation continue.

"Hey, guys. What are you doing here?" Connor gave them both a grin – one that Jess acknowledged with a small wave while Becker mostly ignored it. "Don't you know the meaning of a day off?"

"We were in the area," Becker answered shortly.

"And they're just leaving now," Abby added, throwing a meaningful look in Jess's direction when Becker opened his mouth to protest. "Aren't you?"

As the two launched into a staring contest, a battle of wills neither of them was willing to back down from, Jess made a small sound of frustration and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, for heaven's sake! Just give me the damn keys, Becker, and I'll drive myself home. Then you can get on with whatever it is you need to do without worrying I'm going to get in the way."

"It's not that you're going to get in the way," Becker was quick to reassure her, sensing he'd pushed her a little too far. She rarely called him anything but 'Hil' anymore so the fact that she'd reverted to his surname was a big clue. "But you really shouldn't be here, Jess. It's not safe."

"So give me the keys and I'll leave you to it." She held out one hand, an eyebrow lifting when he didn't immediately comply. "I'm more than capable of driving myself home. I haven't magically forgotten how."

"What—oof!" Connor was cut off mid-sentence by a well-placed elbow from his own wife. As he rubbed his ribs and gave Abby a questioning look, the team leader stepped forward.

Matt cleared his throat to get the attention of the arguing couple. "Look, you're both on a day off. If you're having some kind of domestic, go home and have it. Or put it to the side and focus on the job."

"We're not having a domestic," Becker retorted, breaking eye contact with Jess to glare at Matt. "And I'll focus on the job when she's somewhere safe."

It was the wrong thing to do. "_She_ still has a name and isn't a bloody invalid," Jess interrupted before Matt could respond. "And I hate to break it to you but I think we are having a domestic. Seriously, Becker, if this is what the next seven months is going to be like, I think I might end up filing for divorce."

"Seven months?" Connor repeated speculatively.

"Divorce?" Becker repeated in shock.

"Why don't I drive you home, Jess? I'm not really needed here." Emily cut in smoothly before anyone else could join in the conversation. The dark haired woman moved to stand beside Jess and slid one arm around the Field Co-ordinator's waist, holding her other hand out to the team leader. "Matt, give me the keys to your car."

His eyes wide as the meaning behind Jess's declaration sunk in, Matt did as the Victorian asked.

"Thank you." Emily gave him a warm smile of approval and started to usher the younger woman away as the others looked after them.

Becker took a step after them. "Jess…"

"Later," was his wife's clipped reply as she walked away.

* * *

_Hmm.. Maybe not quite the fluffy beginning I'd promised but I will make it up to you... I promise! Also, please be warned that I'm probably not going to be as fast at updating as I have been in the past so apologies in advance for that._


	2. Frustrated

Prompt: Frustrated  
Rating: K+

* * *

"Am I to assume that congratulations are in order?" Emily waited until they were both in the car, with the beach – and the team – behind them before speaking. She glanced at Jess out of the corner of her eye, her heart aching for her young friend as the Field Co-ordinator sat in the passenger seat, twisting her wedding and engagement rings around on her finger. "Are you not pleased?"

"Oh, I am. I really am." Jess was quick to answer, glancing at Emily with a bright smile on her face. A smile that crumpled as she remembered why she was sitting in a car with her friend and not her husband. "But I want to be able to enjoy it, you know? Not spend every second of every minute walking on eggshells around Hil or Abby or anyone else because they're afraid I'm going to get hurt."

Emily's smile was soft and understanding. "They care about you, Jess. We all do. After what you went through, no one wants to see you get hurt again."

"Neither do I!" Jess returned, placing her hand over her still flat stomach protectively. "But I don't want to spend the next seven, eight months feeling suffocated. I want to be able to enjoy it. I want _Hil_ to enjoy it. But since he found out..." She shook her head and went back to staring out of the window at the passing scenery. "He was happy at first but I'm not so sure he is now."

"Of course he is still happy, Jess..."

"You can't know that, Emily. _I _don't even know that. I don't even know if Hil does." Jess lifted her hand to wipe at her cheek, sniffling as she tried to keep hold of her composure.

Not knowing what to say, the older woman lapsed into silence and concentrated on driving. It was only after she had safely parked in an empty space near the Becker household that Emily turned to Jess and spoke again. "You discussed having children, did you not? Before you were married?"

Jess nodded, but her eyes still shimmered. "We agreed we both wanted them. It's not that we don't, or at least that I don't. It's just the timing, Em. And the way he's been walking on eggshells around me ever since I told him! Like he's afraid I'm going to break at the smallest thing."

"That's simply because he is afraid, Jess. He loves you. Truly." Of that, the Victorian woman had no doubt. "I understand your frustration at being coddled, but I can also understand it from Becker's point of view. He almost lost you less than a month ago – he could have so easily lost both you and your child. It stands to reason that he will worry more about you now with those memories so fresh in his mind."

"That doesn't explain everything, Emily," Jess countered softly, staring at her hands as she clasped them in her lap.

Emily waited, expecting Jess to continue. Her concern grew when the younger woman remained silent instead. "Shall we go inside?" She suggested after a long pause. "I would quite like a cup of tea."

* * *

A cup of tea wasn't going to fix it.

A bottle of tequila wouldn't fix it, even if she had been able to drink. The big bar of chocolate in the kitchen cupboard Becker had slipped into their shopping trolley without her noticing last time they'd gone shopping _might've_ helped but Jess felt a little queasy as she remembered the look on her husband's face when she'd mentioned the 'D' word so decided to forgo that, too.

She sat down on the sofa in the conservatory with Emily – one of her favourite rooms in the house, thanks to view of the garden when she and Becker had gotten married – and stared sightlessly into her tea cup as her friend sat beside her in companionable silence.

"What else is wrong, Jess?" Emily asked after allowing the silence to stretch on for as long as she was able. When Jess remained silent, Emily set her cup of tea down on the table in front of her and turned to look at her. "You know you can tell me anything, Jessica, and it will go no further than you and I."

Jess nodded but felt her cheeks burn. She put her own cup of untouched tea down and clasped her hands in her lap as she stared out of the window. "He won't... We haven't..." Her voice faltered and she blushed furiously under the Victorian's steady gaze.

It took her a few moments, but Emily understood the source of Jess's discomfort in the end. "You have not had relations since you discovered you were pregnant."

"Yes. I mean, no. We haven't." Jess bit her lip and forced herself to meet Emily's gaze. "At first I thought he was just being cautious because I was injured but now... There's absolutely no reason why we can't but he _won't_. And that's not like him. It's not like us." She glanced away again as another blush stole across her features. "It's never been a problem for us before. I've never... I've never questioned whether he was attracted to me before."

"And you are now?" Emily prompted when Jess fell silent again. She reached out and covered Jess's hands with her own when the younger woman only fidgeted in response. "Have you tried talking to him, Jess? I am sure if you explained how you feel..."

"He'll just tell me I'm being stupid," Jess protested, a frustrated tear slipping down her cheek. "And then maybe if I'm lucky, he'll kiss me goodnight before lying on his side of the bed until I fall asleep. That's what he does. Sometimes I'll wake up in his arms but as soon as I try anything, he'll move away or develop a sudden need for a shower or decide to go for a run and of course I'm not allowed to go running anymore because heaven forbid I fall over my own feet and do something to hurt myself or the baby."

When Jess paused to catch her breath, Emily seized her chance to speak. "You need to explain this to your husband, Jessica. For all of his good qualities, Becker is not the quickest or the most perceptive where emotions are concerned. I am certain that if he realised how upset you were about the lack of intimacy in your relationship, he would wish to change it. Perhaps if you give him a chance to explain his views on the subject..." Emily trailed off and shrugged when Jess only stared at her. "Just talk to him. If nothing else, you will feel better for having broached the subject."

Jess gave another nod but didn't look convinced. After another ten minutes, she reassured Emily she would be fine on her own and insisted her friend return to the anomaly site to help their friends with whatever creature had come through.

It was only after Emily left that Jess realised she hadn't said goodbye to Becker properly for the first time since they'd become a couple, the first time she hadn't told him to be safe and asked him to come home to her since they'd gotten married.

With a soft sigh, a pang of guilt going through her at the memory of the stunned expression on Becker's face when she'd mentioned the 'D' word at the height of her temper, Jess reached for her mobile phone. There was only a slim chance he'd check it, she knew, especially if they were in the middle of a creature hunt, but it would make her feel a little bit better so she quickly typed the message and pressed send.

_'Be careful, and stay warm. We're waiting for you to come home. J & bump-to-be xx'_

* * *

_To be continued in 'Nerves'. _


	3. Nerves

Prompt: Nerves  
Rating: T

* * *

He read the text message before starting his drive back to their house. Her words didn't completely ease the tension that had kept his stomach knotted ever since she'd said the 'D' word but they helped soothe his anxiety a little.

As did Emily's sound advice to listen to his wife, and Abby's near constant reassurances that Jess hadn't meant what she said. Divorce was not on the cards for the Beckers according to his teammates, and he was glad for it as he wasn't sure what he'd do if it ever was.

When he realised the front door was locked, Becker couldn't decide if he was pleased Jess had remembered to lock it after seeing Emily out or worried that maybe she'd locked it for the purpose of keeping him out. He hesitated in stepping over the threshold for the first time since they'd moved in over two years ago and took a deep, calming breath before calling out for her.

"Jess?"

No answer.

Momentary panic that she'd left him surged through his body – until he remembered that he'd seen her car parked in its usual spot outside. Keeping that thought in his mind – and shutting out the thought that she could have gotten her brother or sister-in-law to pick her up if she'd chosen to go somewhere – Becker started to explore the house in search of his wife.

She wasn't in any of her favourite places downstairs – the conservatory was empty, as was the living room, and he'd checked the garden through the windows to make sure she wasn't sitting curled up on the swing seat of the gazebo. He checked the study on the first floor, and even looked in the spare rooms just in case she'd decided to move her things – or his – into one of them but they were all empty, too.

"Jess?" He kept his voice quiet as he made his way up to the second floor, not wanting to disturb her if she'd decided to take an afternoon nap.

He heard the sound of a slight splash seconds before she answered, her voice coming from the bathroom. "I'm in here."

He waited outside the bathroom door for a moment, not sure if he should take her answer to be an invite or not, before chiding himself for being an idiot. She was his wife, damn it, and they'd had an argument. It didn't mean she didn't love him anymore and he was only going to make it worse if he kept putting off the inevitable conversation his female teammates insisted they needed to have.

Still, he knocked lightly onto the door before pulling it open, entering quickly and closing it behind him to keep the heat and steam inside.

Jess looked up at him from where she lay in a bathtub brimming with bubbles and the redness of her eyes broke his heart.

"I'm sorry." It was strange how the words were both so much easier to say than they had been before they'd gotten together but still somehow got caught in his throat. Becker crossed the room and knelt beside the tub, covering the hand she had resting on the rim with his own. "I overreacted, and I'm sorry."

"Me, too." Her smile was a sliver of its usual self but he was relieved to see it anyway. "And I shouldn't have said anything about a divorce. You know I didn't mean it, right?"

Because of how worried she looked, Becker didn't have it in him to tell her the truth. "I know." He lifted her hand, pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "I'm going to need some time to get used to this, Jess. Please be patient with me."

"Used to what?" Her eyes shone and she bit down on her bottom lip anxiously. "The thought of being a dad or me being pregnant or...?"

"All of it," he answered. "I just... It terrifies me, sweetheart," he admitted quietly. "Anything could go wrong and I could lose you – lose both of you – and I don't know what I'd do if that happened. I don't... I'm so scared I'm going to screw this up and lose you, Jess."

A tear slipped down her face and it was her turn to take his hand, holding it against her cheek as she leaned into his touch. "You won't lose me. You won't lose either of us," she added, moving her other hand to rest on her stomach. "And you're not the only one who's scared of screwing this up but what you've got to remember – what we've _both_ got to remember – is that we're in this together. You and me."

"And baby makes three." Even just saying it scared him a little, and exhilarated him, too. "I love you, Jessica, and I promise I'll try not to let you down again."

"You've never let me down, Hil. You can frustrate me to no end and drive me a little crazy at times but you have never let me down, nor will you ever let down our child."

"I wish I could be so confident, Jess," and he did, he really did, "but this is all new to me..."

"It's new to both of us," Jess objected instantly, but Becker shook his head.

"You've been around kids. Babies. You were around Andi when she was pregnant with the kids, you were there when Lizzie and Tom were babies. I don't think... I can't remember ever holding a baby before, let alone being a father to one." Becker swallowed hard at the thought. "I don't know how to do that."

"Neither do I." She gave him a look when he started to protest. "Being an aunt is very different to being a mum. I've never been pregnant before for starters. I've never given birth or experienced any of the other things I've read about that sound absolutely terrifying. And I love that you've never held a baby, Hil, because it means that the first time you do, it'll be ours."

Something inside him warmed at the mental image and he smiled easily for what felt like the first time in weeks. "So are we okay now? If I try not to worry too much...?" Or at least try not to let her see when he was. He thought she'd agree so was surprised when she hesitated, colour rising in her cheeks he suspected had little to do with the temperature of the room. "Jess? What is it?"

She bit down on her lip again, her hand falling from his to splash in the water as she looked away. "Are you... Does me being pregnant change how you feel about me, Hil? Physically, I mean? Or is it because of what Cartwright did because I'm okay, you know. I'm okay and I stopped taking the painkillers ages ago."

Stunned by the question, it took him a moment to remember he needed to answer it. "You're beautiful, Jessica. Knowing that you're pregnant makes you even more so."

"Then why won't you touch me? Why haven't we had sex since you found out I'm pregnant?" She lifted her head to look him in the eye. "I read on the internet that some men lose interest in their partners, that the idea of, well, being with them while they're pregnant disgusts them so I thought, maybe, you -"

"No." Becker's voice was firm, and loud, making her jump. "God _no_. You are bloody gorgeous and I want you as much now as I ever have. I swear. There is not one thing about this that makes you unattractive to me."

"Then why...?"

It was his turn to blush, to feel the heat flood his cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair, aware that the steam in the room made it stick up at strange angles but not caring as he held her gaze. "You're not the only one who's been reading things on the Internet, sweetheart. Some women go off sex when they're pregnant. I didn't want to pressure you into something you don't want..."

"Don't want?" Her jaw dropped a little and her eyes widened. "I don't know how I could've made what I want any clearer, Hil, and what I want is _you_."

He shrugged a shoulder, feeling awkward under the weight of her incredulous stare. "I wasn't sure if you meant it or thought you had to or felt obligated..."

"_Obligated_? To make love to my husband? Who I am completely and utterly insanely crazy about?" Jess continued to stare at him. "You really are an idiot sometimes, aren't you? You do know that, right?"

"I'm beginning to get the picture." His pulse quickened at the glint in her eye and he allowed his gaze to wander, drinking in the very welcome sight of her body beneath the surface of the water, bare but for a few bubbles that still clung stubbornly to her skin. "Jessica?"

Her eyes darkened in response to his blatant appraisal of her and her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "Yes, Hil?"

"Would you object if I took you to bed and showed you just how beautiful you are to me?"

Jess shivered and shook her head no. "I wouldn't object at all."

It was all the encouragement he needed. He scooped her up out of the water, not caring that his clothes were getting wet as he stood with her in his arms, and kissed her soundly as he carried her from the bathroom to their bedroom to prove he meant every word.

* * *

_Continued in 'News' _


	4. News

_I'm poorly!sick today so here, have a new chapter. _

Prompt: News  
Rating: K+

* * *

"Rise and shine, beautiful. It's time to get up."

The only response he got was a muffled, nonsensical grumble as Jess curled her body even tighter around his pillow. Amused, Becker sat on the edge of the bed and gently pushed her hair back from her face. He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly.

"You're the one who wants to get there early," he reminded her, knowing she was half awake and listening. "You wanted to tell Lester before anyone else can."

Jess opened one eye to look at him, the glare ineffective due to the sleepy quality to it. "You should've let me sleep more last night."

"Really?" Becker smirked and quirked an eyebrow. "Because that's not the impression I got when you woke me up at one o'clock this morning, sweetheart."

His wife pouted, her cheeks growing pink. "But I'm tired now," she complained.

"We'll have an early night tonight," he promised, grinning at the expression that flickered across her features. "I mean to sleep, Jessica. You're the one complaining you're tired now."

"You're the one who's been holding out on me." She unsuccessfully tried to stifle a yawn and sat up reluctantly. "So it's your fault we've got a lot to catch up on."

"Uh huh." Unable to resist, he closed the gap between them to kiss her sweetly, drawing back after a moment and grinning again at the soft noise of protest that escaped her. "We're leaving in twenty minutes."

His wife arched a sceptical eyebrow. "Twenty minutes?"

"Twenty minutes, and no later."

Jess huffed and got up from the bed, throwing him a glare that only served to make him chuckle on her way past him to the bathroom.

Almost exactly _thirty_ minutes later, the couple left for work.

* * *

It was no secret that he had a soft spot for the couple in front of him. For all of the couples, really, who worked underneath him at the ARC but there was something a little special about the Beckers. Whether it was because he and the Captain had mourned their fallen comrades together, during the dark period in which Abby, Connor and Danny were lost to them and after Sarah had died or because the Field Co-ordinator had become his right-hand man – right-hand woman – in the running of the ARC, not to mention the undeniably fatherly instincts he had towards her, Lester couldn't be certain.

So when they came in early, specifically to see him, a few months after the near take-over of the ARC during which they'd both almost lost their lives, Lester was incredibly wary.

Was this it? He wondered as they took their usual positions in front of him, Jess in the chair opposite his desk and Becker standing, protectively as always, in position behind her. Had they finally had enough? Decided to call it quits?

While he couldn't blame them if that was indeed the case, he knew he'd do everything in his power to convince them to stay on in some capacity, just as he would do if it was Abby and Connor or even Matt and Emily sitting in front of him telling him they wanted to leave.

He waited for a moment, trying to glean something from their expressions but both remained frustratingly neutral.

"I assume there's a reason you requested a meeting at this time in the morning?" He asked after a pause.

"There is…" Becker began, only to be interrupted by his wife.

"I'm pregnant." Jess gave Becker a quick, apologetic look for cutting him off before turning back to Lester. Her eyes were bright, her smile almost nervous. "We wanted to tell you before anyone else had a chance to. It kind of… slipped out… yesterday at the anomaly site. The plan was that you'd be one of the first to know, and then everyone else, but it kind of hasn't worked out like that. Though none of our families know yet. We were going to wait to tell everyone after the first scan but, well, that hasn't worked out, either."

Lester nodded slowly, having heard they'd been involved in the previous day's incursion but having had no further details from any of the core team. He looked from Jess to Becker, who stood silently behind her. There were the beginnings of a grin on his face, though, a proud expression he was trying to fight but failing to keep hidden as he gazed down at his wife with open affection Lester couldn't have imagined seeing on his face five, almost six, years ago.

Returning his gaze to Jess, Lester saw her bite her lip, her expression expectant and almost… wary?

"My congratulations to you both," he said sincerely, noting the way Jess's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Is everything alright? I mean, with everything that happened…?"

Though they hadn't spoken about it, both he and Jess remembered all too well their mutual experiences at the hands of the people who'd tried to take over the facility.

"So far, so good. We won't know for certain until after the scan, which is one of the reasons we weren't going to tell anyone so soon." Jess shrugged, her smile brave. Behind her, Becker moved his hand to rest on her shoulder in a gesture of silent support. "But I feel okay, and everything's fine as far as Doctor Ellis could tell so… Everything should hopefully be okay."

"I'm sure it will be." He allowed himself a small smile, hoping to reassure her, and was rewarded when her shoulders relaxed even more. "Now, you do realise there'll be paperwork that needs to be filled in, risk assessments and that sort of thing?"

"I know. I'll have a word with HR and see what they need me to do from their side of things but I – we – wanted to tell you in person rather than just filling in a form."

Lester nodded, appreciating the thought. He hesitated for a moment, before broaching another subject he was reluctant to bring up. "I assume you'll also want to make some changes after the child is born?"

He knew, mostly through his wife and the relationship she'd formed with Jess, that the couple had discussed having children before and he knew that they'd always agreed that, when the time came, one or both of them would consider either leaving the ARC or taking on a different role. Neither of them wanted to leave their child with only one parent or, in the worst case scenario, without any parent at all and while Lester could respect and admire that decision as a friend and as a father, as their boss he was a little disappointed at the thought of losing one or both of them.

"That's still something we need to discuss," Becker answered eventually, his hand tightening on Jess's shoulder. "But as soon as we've decided, we'll let you know, Sir."

He gave them another nod, not wanting to push the subject any further when it was apparent they had no answers for him.

"Well, again, my congratulations. Jess, I'll leave informing HR in your capable hands but, in the meantime, if there's anything we can do to support you, let me know and we'll do it. And that means no more working overtime and no doing paperwork for other people just because you're better at it than they are." At the surprised and guilty look on Jess's face, Lester arranged his features into a stern expression. "I will be keeping my eye on you."

"Thank you." It came from Becker, not Jess, and was accompanied by a stern look of his own aimed at his wife. "So don't think you can get away with it just because I'm not going to be watching you all of the time."

Jess rolled her eyes but took the hand he offered as she got to her feet. "You're supposed to be nice to me, you know. Not be mean and gang up on me with our boss."

"I am being nice to you." Becker gave Lester a small nod of thanks as he led his wife out of the office. "It's in your best interests..."

As the couple continued to the hub, bickering light-heartedly with smiles on their faces, Lester watched them go and wondered how it was possible to feel both happy for them, and a little bit sad that everything was going to change.

* * *

_Next up: 'Photo'._


	5. Photo

_Thank you as always for the reviews/adds/etc. *hugs* You are all truly brilliant :) Sorry I haven't replied personally; I'm still not 100% and the bad days are outweighing the good ones at the moment! Still, new chapter so yay for that._

Prompt: Photo  
Rating: K+

* * *

She wasn't sure why she was so nervous; she was supposed to be excited, not terrified, at the thought of seeing her – their - baby for the first time.

She remembered the giddy joy she'd felt when she'd gone with Andi to her first scan when her sister-in-law had been pregnant with Lizzie, filling in for her brother because he'd been called away with work. They'd stared in awe at the grainy black and white image and the bean-shaped blob that represented the first of the next generation of Parkers and later they'd both cried happy tears over cream cakes and hot chocolate at a café just around the corner from the hospital.

Jess had always thought she'd feel that same kind of giddiness when it came to seeing her own child for the first time but instead she felt sick to her stomach – and she was reasonably sure it wasn't due to morning sickness.

Deep down, she knew the reason why.

Every so often, even weeks after her injuries had healed, she experienced an occasional twinge or ache as a result of the beating she'd taken when a rogue team from the future had tried to take over the ARC in the present time. Every so often, she was reminded of the damage that had been done to her body in the very early days of her pregnancy, before she'd even been certain there was a life growing inside her.

What if something Cartwright had done to her had hurt her baby? That was what she was terrified about, of having unwittingly failed to protect her child before he or she was even born. What kind of mother did that make her?

The hand on her shoulder made her jump, and she turned to Becker with wide eyes.

"It's our turn," her husband told her softly, his dark eyes concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." For his sake, she forced a smile, even while knowing he wouldn't be fooled by it. "Just nervous," she admitted, taking the hand he offered her and letting him pull her to her feet.

"It'll be okay." He squeezed her hand with his and led her gently to the where a woman stood waiting for them, a warm and understanding smile on the older woman's face.

"Mr and Mrs Becker?" The uniformed woman – Cindy, according to her name badge – confirmed quietly. "If you'd like to come this way…"

* * *

Though she knew to expect it from her past experiences with Andi and had been warned by the ultra sound technician performing the scan, Jess still flinched as the cool gel was placed on her stomach. Her grip on Becker's hand tightened and he murmured reassurances as he stood at her bedside.

"It might take us a little while to find the baby so don't worry if it feels like it's taking forever," Cindy assured her with a friendly smile.

Jess thought she might have somehow managed a smile back in return.

After what felt like an eternity, Cindy stopped moving the ultra sound wand over Jess's stomach and turned the screen she'd been staring at towards the expectant parents. "There you go. That's your baby."

The picture was a lot clearer than Jess could remember from any of Andi's scans. She felt her eyes fill with tears and squeezed Becker's hand to the point of pain as her husband leaned in to better see the image before them. "That's our baby," she murmured, unable to take her gaze from the mass that represented their child. "Oh, Hil."

"I know." Sounding as choked up as she felt, Becker lifted their joined hands to his lips and pressed a kiss against the back of her hand. "Thank you."

Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, Jess could only smile, tilting her head back to accept the kiss he leaned in to give her.

"I'll get a couple of copies printed and give you a moment alone," Cindy murmured, her voice low as she slipped out of the room.

* * *

It was real. It was really _real_.

Despite having the evidence in the form of a newly printed photograph in her hand, Jess couldn't quite believe it. She didn't think she would truly believe until the day she held her baby in her arms for the first time and _that_ thought was both incredible and terrifying.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Becker asked quietly, his voice a low rumble against her back as she leaned against him on the sofa in the conservatory as they settled in for the evening, music on a mp3 player on softly in the background.

Lifting her face slightly, Jess tore her gaze away from the scan. "That we're really going to be parents?"

"Well, yes, that." And the grin that quirked up the corners of his mouth made her heart do a little leap in her chest. "But it also means we're going to have to tell our families."

Glancing back down at the photograph she held, Jess felt a little jolt at the thought they were going to be a family, before the meaning of his words sunk in. Looking up at him, she bit down on her bottom lip. While her family would no doubt be thrilled at the announcement – her sister-in-law had been dropping hints for a while – and she was sure his mum and sister would be equally as overjoyed…

"Do you think your father will be pleased?"

Her relationship with Colonel Becker had improved massively since she'd married Becker but there were still times when she got the impression the retired military man would prefer it if his son was free to pursue his career instead of staying at the ARC – and with her.

Tightening his arm around her shoulders, Becker kissed her forehead softly. "He'll be fine," he said, sounding far more confident than Jess suspected he felt. "Thrilled, I think. He's going to be a grandfather."

Though whether he'd _really_ see that as a good thing, neither of the parents-to-be could say.

* * *

_Continued in 'Show & Tell'._


	6. Show & Tell

Prompt: Show & Tell  
Rating: K+

* * *

The table in the rarely used dining room was perfectly arranged. Jess fussed with the flowers in the small glass vase in the centre of the table until Becker wrapped his arms around her, stilling her actions as he kissed the back of her neck.

"It looks perfect," he told her quietly.

Even without looking at him, Jess knew his attention wasn't focused on the flowers but on the copy of the picture they'd left almost carelessly beside the vase.

A picture of their baby.

As if reading her thoughts, Becker let his hand rest over the slight swell of her stomach.

"Who do you think will see it first?" Jess wondered aloud, her hand moving to rest over his. Her money would be on her sister-in-law; Andi didn't miss a trick and had been hinting for a few months, wondering if her children would ever have a playmate in the form of a niece or nephew...

"Andi or my mum." He didn't hesitate, his chin resting on her shoulder as they stood staring at the scan on the table. "Possibly mum," he continued thoughtfully. "Especially since the women in her knitting group apparently keep asking her when they'll be able to make booties and whatever else a baby needs for her first grandchild."

A smile tugging the corners of her mouth, Jess turned in the circle of his arms to look up at him. "You talk to your mum about her knitting group?"

"I do talk to my mother, you know. Usually in the five minutes before she asks to speak to you." He rolled his eyes but she noticed the tips of his ears turning red. "And she brought it up."

"I'm sure she did." Her smile grew as his embarrassment deepened.

"It was probably her way of dropping hints!" Becker protested. "It's not very subtle of her when you think about it."

Pushing up on her toes so she could kiss him quickly, Jess laughed when he immediately tried to follow as she pulled away. "You can admit to being a good son, Hil. It's not a bad thing to be. Good son, brilliant husband. Means you're going to be a brilliant father, too."

His arms tightened around her momentarily. "I'll do my best," he promised, hazel eyes solemn as he gazed down into hers.

"I know you will." Starting in his arms when the doorbell rang, Jess broke away and smoothed down imaginary wrinkles in her dress. She gave him a quick smile, earning a grin in response, before the couple headed to the door to greet their visiting family.

* * *

As with most family gatherings in the Becker household, it took a while for the arriving guests to gravitate towards the dining room, which was only really used when the couple were entertaining. While they waited for Jess's side of the family to arrive – her brother and sister-in-law were usually late, on account of having two children under the age of ten to get ready – Becker's side of the family were ushered into the living room, where they were offered tea and coffee.

After making small talk and evading Margaret Becker's curious questions as to why they'd suddenly felt the need to have a family get together, the doorbell rang again and Jess jumped up to answer.

Almost immediately on opening the door, she found herself engulfed in hugs from her niece and nephew. Her seven year old niece, Lizzie, beamed up at her and took hold of one hand after having hugged her while her five year old nephew, Tom, wrapped his arms around her legs in a squeezing hug that would've had her losing her balance if not for the steadying hands that landed on her shoulders.

As those hands were attached to another of Tom and Lizzie's favourite people, the children quickly let go of their aunt in favour of throwing themselves at their uncle.

Surveying the picture they made for a moment, Jess turned back to the door to greet her brother and sister-in-law.

"You'd think it'd been a year since they last saw you and not a few weeks," Andi commented wryly as she took her turn in hugging Jess. "How are you feeling now? You look so much better."

Knowing Andi was referring to the injuries she'd sustained at work – though neither her sister-in-law or her brother knew exactly how she'd come to be hurt – Jess smiled brightly. "I'm fine. Better than fine. Go on through, the others are already here."

Stepping back so Andi could follow her children, both of whom were still clinging to their uncle, into the living room, Jess almost jumped when her brother moved closer, lifting his hand to her face. She rolled her eyes as Davey tilted her head first one way, and then the next, studying her intently.

"No new bruises," her brother announced after a moment. "I'm impressed."

"Don't be." Shaking her head at him, Jess moved in for a quick hug. "It was a one-off, Davey. An exception, not the rule."

"Glad to hear it." Her brother didn't smile at her. "You're still not going to tell me what happened?"

"If I could, I would." She meant it, too. "All I can tell you is that the chances of it happening again are slim to none." And that was true, too. Becker had personally carried out a complete over-haul of the internal security procedures at the ARC, and there was now a permanent security presence in the Ops room at all times. More often than not, unless he was in the field or running drills with his men, her husband would be sat at the designated station himself, doing his paperwork within easy reach of her station at the ADD.

"That's something," Davey said after a while.

"It is. Now let's go through and be sociable, shall we?" Hooking her arm through his, Jess gave him little choice in the matter, leading him into the living room where the rest of the family waited.

* * *

After a little more small talk, and the children taking turns to catch Rachel and Margaret up on the latest tales from school, Becker and Jess were able to usher the gathered group into the dining room.

Jess held her breath as everyone took her seats but her house guests seemed too engrossed in conversation to notice the unusual addition to the table decor. Catching Becker's gaze above their heads, she rolled her eyes and looked back at the table in time to see Colonel Becker's features contort in an expression of surprise before he was able to get it under control.

The older Becker glanced around quickly as if checking to see if anyone else had seen it, before looking up at his son and daughter-in-law. He didn't say anything but a small smile quirked the corners of his mouth as he gave them what could only be a nod of approval.

Relief flooding through her, Jess smiled back before leading her husband into the kitchen to start bringing through the meal they'd prepared earlier.

"One down," Becker murmured, reaching past her for the heaviest dish. "Four to go."

"Six including the kids," Jess corrected, turning her head to kiss his cheek quickly. "I wonder who..."

A squeal came from the dining room before she could finish the sentence. Recognising it as being his sister, they shared a quick smile before returning to their guests.

"Everything okay, Rach?" Becker asked, striving for casual as his little sister jumped up from her chair, picture in hand as everyone but her father looked at her as though she'd gone insane.

Rachel's answer was another squeal before she threw her arms around Becker, hugging him tightly for a few moments. She then moved to a beaming Jess to do the same thing. "This... You're... I'm going to be an aunty!"

Returning the teenager's embrace, Jess laughed at the stunned looks on the faces of the adults at the table who still hadn't figured out what was going on. "I take it you're pleased?"

Rachel squealed again – thankfully at a lower pitch – and let Jess go so she could study the picture she still clutched in her hands. "Is it a boy or girl? Do you know yet? Have you thought of any names? When's it due?"

"It's too soon to tell so no, no, and around the 25th March." Becker moved to stand beside Jess, rolling his eyes at the questions his sister fired at them.

"You're pregnant?" Catching on, finally, Margaret Becker slowly got to her feet. Her eyes began to shimmer as she looked at her only son and daughter-in-law. "I'm going to be a grandma?"

"I'm going to be an aunty!" Rachel declared again, bouncing up and down as her mum approached to take the picture from her. "I so can't wait!"

"Me, either." Her own eyes suspiciously bright, Andi rose from her seat and hurried to Jess's side, drawing her sister-in-law into her arms. "Oh, Jess. I'm so happy for you. For both of you."

Hugging Andi back just as tightly, Jess blinked away tears of her own. "Me, too. We wanted to tell you sooner but had to wait till the scan to be sure everything was okay." Feeling a little guilty, knowing she'd been the second person Andi had told she was pregnant after Davey, Jess pulled back to look at her sister-in-law.

"And everything's okay?" Andi smiled, wiping her cheeks when Jess nodded. "Then that's all that matters."

As Andi moved to congratulate Becker, Davey moved up to take his wife's place. Without a word, he drew his sister against him, kissing the top of her head as he tried to get his own emotional response under control. "I'm happy for you, Jessie," he said eventually. "It's about time this house was full of children again."

"There's only one for now but it's a start." Understanding his reaction, Jess gave him a watery smile when he let her go. They'd grown up together in the house that she'd reclaimed as her home with Becker's help and the thought of starting her own family there felt right though it was a little bittersweet to know their parents weren't around to be part of it. "Mum and Dad would be pleased, wouldn't they?"

"They would," he answered without hesitation. "They really, really would."

"Mum?" The note of concern in Becker's voice caught Jess's attention and she fixed her gaze on her mother-in-law, who stood staring at the photo from the scan. "Are you okay?"

Tears ran unchecked down Margaret's cheeks as she nodded wordlessly. Her husband moved to stand behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just so happy," Becker's mother managed eventually, lifting her gaze from the picture to smile at the anxious couple. "I'm just so very, very happy."

She moved to hug Becker first, murmuring an "I'm so proud of you, Hilary" in his ear before turning to Jess and hugging her just as warmly. "Thank you," she whispered to her daughter-in-law. "Thank you so much, Jessica."

Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, Jess could only hug Margaret back, watching over the older woman's shoulder as her father-in-law clapped Becker on the shoulder, beaming with rare pride, and her brother shook his hand and said something that made her husband grin.

Smiling, feeling teary again, Jess looked around at her family after Margaret let her go to gush over the scan picture with Andi and felt warmth flood through her as she placed her hand over the small bump at her midsection and let herself truly relax, confident that no matter what the future held in store for herself and Becker, if the worst were to happen to them, their child would be loved.

* * *

_Continued in 'Scared'_


	7. Scared

_Apologies for the delay - thanks to Emelie for the reminder :)_

Prompt: Scared

Rating: K+

* * *

Relief was still the primary emotion she felt as she bid goodbye to their families. Sunday lunch had turned into a celebratory affair that had lasted well into the evening and, while she was pleased everyone was happy with the news, Jess was almost overwhelmed with relief that Becker's father had seemed just as thrilled as everyone else.

About thirty minutes after they left, though, exhaustion began to take relief's place. She kicked herself mentally for not letting Andi and Margaret fuss over her and do the dishes as she stood in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher with the plates Becker was systematically bringing through from the dining room. When her husband caught her in the middle of yet another huge yawn, he set the salad bowl on the counter and took the dish she'd been holding from her.

"Go and sit down," he ordered, his tone firm but his voice gentle. He arched an eyebrow when she opened her mouth to protest. "I mean it, Jessica."

Fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at him, feeling she had to protest even though she was grateful, Jess rolled her eyes and shook her head as she moved to the kitchen table. "I'm not an invalid, you know." Still, she sat down obediently on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Living room's comfier," Becker pointed out as he took over loading the dishwasher. "Or the conservatory."

"I'll wait for you." Resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands, Jess watched him through tired eyes. "I think it went well today."

"You thought it wouldn't?" He gave her a small grin as he passed to go back through to the dining room to collect the last of the plates and cutlery. "I told you Mum would be over the moon."

"It wasn't your mum I was worried about," Jess admitted, doing her best to stifle another yawn. "But your Dad seems pleased so I'm happy. As long as he realises that our child isn't necessarily going to follow in the Becker family footsteps, whether it's a boy or a girl." She looked down at the slight bump at her midsection and put a hand over it. "He or she gets to choose what they want to do. No pressure from parents or grandparents."

"Agreed." He finished loading the dishwasher and set it away before moving to stand beside her. Offering her a hand, which she took with a smile, Becker pulled her up onto her feet and into his arms. "And even if our baby is a genius like its mother, he or she can take things at their own pace."

"Definitely." With a sigh, Jess leaned her head against his shoulder. "I just want a happy, healthy baby."

"Me, too." She felt his mouth against the top of her head and reluctantly stepped away just as another yawn escaped her. "You want to watch a DVD before bed? I'll even let you put on one of those girly romances you love so much."

Chuckling at the expression that arranged his features, Jess gave him a sweet smile. "Sounds good to me but don't be too surprised if I fall asleep part way through. I'm exhausted."

"That's apparently normal in pregnancy." Becker shrugged when her smile turned into an arched eyebrow. "I told you I've been looking stuff up. You're not the only one who knows how to use the Internet. And when you think about it, it makes sense. You've got a little person growing inside you, you know. We've got the picture to prove it, though I think my mum snuck the one you put on the table into her bag before she left."

She smiled again, hands moving automatically to her stomach. "That's why it was a copy, and the originals are already in a photograph album upstairs."

"Go get settled. I'll be through in a few minutes."

Following the order without complaint, Jess walked through to the living room and curled up on the sofa. When Becker joined her not more than five minutes later, it was to find she was sound asleep.

* * *

He woke when he felt a chill against his skin. Becker frowned, still half asleep, and reached automatically for Jess. When his hand encountered only empty air, he was jolted into a state of full wakefulness and sat up in bed.

"Jess?"

She'd been there when he'd fallen asleep. He'd woken her up and followed her upstairs, settling in bed with a favourite book as she'd curled up against him and slept soundly. After a few hours, he'd joined her, arms wrapped around the woman who had become his world, contentedness surrounding him as he fell asleep.

Groggily, Becker got out of bed. There was no sign of her in their room, and the door to the en suite bathroom was open, showing it to be dark and unoccupied. Stepping out on the landing, he started for the staircase only to stop when he heard a muffled noise coming from the direction of the room they'd decided would be the nursery.

Listening intently, he frowned when he heard the noise again, alarm racing through him and causing his heart to quicken when he recognised it for what it was: the sound of Jess crying, and trying to hide it from him.

Quickly making his way to the nursery, he pushed open the door and found his wife sat on the floor in the empty room. Her arms were around her legs, knees tucked up to her chest, and she lifted her head to look at him when he entered. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her lips trembled as she tried to compose herself.

"Jess." Concerned and more than a little panicked, Becker wasted no time in crossing the floor to kneel beside her, wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you okay? The baby…?"

For a long moment, Jess didn't speak. She couldn't. Overwhelmed, her tears continued to flow as she pressed her face against him and wept.

* * *

Continued in 'Support'


End file.
